I have a homebrew module I've cooked up that I'm rather proud of, so I'm putting it through it's paces. I'm running two in-person groups through it and would also like to try a Play By Post. It should take you through level 3, and it's possible for it to expand into a full campaign if there's interest on your part.

I am looking for 4 players, I *may* go up to five if you guys really wow me with your characters and I'm having a hard time settling. My schedule is erratic, but I expect to be able to post at least once a day and I expect the same availability from players.

The details!

Overview:

The PC's are all neophyte adventurers who's paths have all brought them two a small Ulfen village near the border with Irrisen. A priest of Nethys recently made a wondrous discovery a few miles outside of the village, within the Irrisen border: a cave buried under the snow, which appears to be made entirely of adamantine!

Knowing Irrisen's witch-queen would surely covet the discovery herself if she learned of it, he quickly traveled to the nearby Ulfen village in order to recruit able hands to help him explore and excavate the sit. Finding little more than fearful refusal to get any closer to Irrisen than they already were from the village inhabitants, he posted an offer for adventurers in the local tavern and sent missives to other nearby towns: 500 gold apiece to any who could help him secure the site.

A tidy sum for a group of rookie adventurers. But at what risk?

Character Guidelines:

Right off the bat, let me tell you that unique and interesting characters with a *good back story* will impress me. Generally speaking, optimization does little to blow my hair back unless you managed to find some really kooky, typically suboptimal gimmick that you've figured out how to make sing (assuming you've got good fluff to back it up), things like . I cannot emphasize this enough. I like to run games for characters I'd want to read stories about.

Starting at Level 1.

20 point buy. Maximum starting gold. 2 Traits. Traits from specific campaigns are allowed, but it needs to be a clear reflection of your background (not just "I wanted Acrobatics as a class skill) and must be vetted by me. I *am* willing to consider custom traits in order to make *very good* concepts work.

As a general courtesy, please refrain from builds that summon huge swarms of creatures. Summon spells in general are fine, but I'm running this PbP for fun and I just have no interest in keeping track of 8 fiendish dire mongooses in a fight.

Races:
No Drow Nobles.

Otherwise, any Paizo published material. If you're playing one of the weirder races, that needs to be an integral part of their background. If you're playing a Dragon Empires race then a convincing reason for you to be in Avistan is a must. Being in LotL should help justify DE races with the (dangerous) trade route and all, but I'm still going to need a good reason why your Nagaji is mucking about with vikings.

*Houserule: Player races with the outsider type do NOT get proficiency with all Martial weapons. You're already immune to all the "X-Person" spells. Be happy with that.

Classes:
I'd love to say "everything goes". However, I'm going to have to impose a couple restrictions.

No Master Summoners or Synthesists. I don't think Synthesists are overpowered at all, but I have no interest in dealing with everyone and their mother's different opinions on how they actually work.

No archetypes with multiple Animal Companions. Again, I just don't feel like managing a small army in combat.

Feats:
No Antagonize. I like it in theory but it's still just sort of a mess, mechanically speaking.

Leadership may be an issue if we keep this going past the initial adventure. I actually like cohorts a *lot* but again, that's a lot more to manage. We'll cross this bridge if/when we come to it.

Skills:
HAVE SOME SOCIAL SKILLS. It's not necessary for every single player to have potent interaction statistics, and there's going to be plenty of good old fashioned combat, but there will be plenty to reward those with strong social capabilities from time to time.

Alignment
For the most part, no Evil.

However, if you have a *really good* (and I mean REALLY) concept for a Lawful Evil character that *is not going to be a significant threat to party cohesion* I will consider it. A Lex Luthor on a team of heroes can be a lot of fun.

Concept:
Lots of freedom here, but there needs to be a solid, feasible reason your character is in the Land of the Linnorm Kings. They could have heard about the call to adventure from either the missives sent to nearby settlements, or they may have been in the As-Yet-Unnamed border village when the priest posted his offer.

If someone wants to play an *actual* Ulfen resident of the village who has some sort of (very compelling) reason to want to leave the village and travel into the terrifying land of Irrisen, that would be fantastic but not necessary. If you go this route a character that incorporates skills and other elements suiting some sort of guide would be gravy.

Dotting for interest. I've a few ideas but before I decide. I need to know if a Drow Noble is acceptable. Yes I do have a good back story.

Ehhhh... That's already setting off a few alarm bells for me. (Though, thank you for reminding me about the Drow Noble. I always forget about them). Is there anything, mechanically speaking, about your idea that doesn't work if they're just a regular Drow?

EDIT: I'll go Half-Elf to keep things simpler. I can still use the story arch I wanted.

Okie doke. I don't know how attached you are to the Drow thing, but there are alternate racial features in the Advanced Race Guide to re-flavor the typical Half-Elf as a Half-Drow which are pretty neat.

Interested, I think I would like to go with a fighter of some sort, just listening to The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie and a Northern named man is too tempting. I will likely be going either barbarian or fighter, probably world weary and bitter, yay! Need to research the area a bit for appropriateness. Probably a rather vanilla two hander build.

Maybe a retired fighter who tried his hand at farming and has just lost his farm, spending his last few coin on drink and caressing his axe, when a man comes offering gold...

For the first concept, how do you feel about a strix? I have had my eye on one for a while and am looking to make a very detailed backstory for why I would be one. I am looking at a rogue or a ranger in this concept.

For a second concept, the class I am leaning in favor of a charisma caster. Either a sorcerer or an oracle of lore. The race I have not determined yet.

Interested, I think I would like to go with a fighter of some sort, just listening to The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie and a Northern named man is too tempting. I will likely be going either barbarian or fighter, probably world weary and bitter, yay! Need to research the area a bit for appropriateness. Probably a rather vanilla two hander build.

Maybe a retired fighter who tried his hand at farming and has just lost his farm, spending his last few coin on drink and caressing his axe, when a man comes offering gold...

That's a good start, Byden. I'm interested in hearing the more fleshed out version of his past, sounds like a lot of opportunity for some good pathos.

For the first concept, how do you feel about a strix? I have had my eye on one for a while and am looking to make a very detailed backstory for why I would be one. I am looking at a rogue or a ranger in this concept.

For a second concept, the class I am leaning in favor of a charisma caster. Either a sorcerer or an oracle of lore. The race I have not determined yet.

Setting up a convincing Strix is definitely going to take some serious work, but I believe you when you say you've got some good ideas to put into it. The backup character is a good idea, as I will likely judge a Strix PC with a lot of scrutiny.

I'm thinking about an acolyte priest of nethys, (possibly an oracle or religious themed archeologist bard) the assistant of the priest who discovered the cave. Would that work?

My background would need a lot of help to fill in

Actually, the Priest already *has* an assistant. I didn't mention it in the synopsis because it's not immediately important but it *is* part of how I'm setting up the beginning of the adventure.

That doesn't stop you from being a follower of Nethys, though. It certainly helps motivate your character's interest in the adventure, as helping out the efforts of the faith is a pretty solid impetus.

I'll enter in with a Half-Elf named Dorian. He's an Oracle of Life going Barbarian going Rage Prophet.

Dorian Backstory:

Dorian once was normal like everyone else. Had a family, friends, and even a few enemies. One day he woke up and spirits where everywhere. Only he could see and hear them. They talked to him frequently, which lead him to leave his home in Qadira. The spirits each have their own name and abilities, and give Dorian a small fragment of their abilities. They also said that they were a gift from Serenrae, which Dorian questions whether she sent them as a gift or if she just wanted them out of her hair. He's been making his way slowly up from his small village in Qadira all the way to the Unnamed Border-Town when he saw the priest setting up the messageboard.

The Spirits:

There are 5 different spirits that haunt Dorian, each have their own class, alignment, and personality. If chosen, I'd probably make another alias just for the combined use of them and their idle chat.
The spirits are:
Loki CN Rogue: Gives Dorian his Acrobatic Prowess
Gwendal CG Fighter: Gives Dorian a little bit of his strength for Rage and his skill in weaponry
Sendril LG Monk: Protects Dorian when he casts his spells
Juvia NG Cleric: Gives Dorian Healing and most spells and Channeling
Fersan TN Wizard: Helps Dorian with intellegent insights

His two traits are Ghost Sight and Strenght of the Sun. He is otherwise a normal Half-Elf. If you want to have a little more information in the backstory, let me know.

I was a name once. Killed me a gods cursed troll, gutted Iljnor Thunderlust at the battle of Breyd Fell, only survivor of the siege at Frosthaven. They used to soil their breeches at the sound of my name!

Now what am I? Some old drunk? That failed farmer, old Thori too s%*%ting stupid to keep his herd alive. Not stupid, just uncaring, he gave up the bloody life for love - no stupid was right afterall - and then she died giving birth to a tiny bundle of lifeless blood and bones. Maybe he deserved it, that is what they all thought, damned. Thorgar the Childeater hardly deserved to be happy.

When the serving girl passed near he asked her what there was to eat, of course it was pork. Anything but pork, too many memories, too close, too pale, too weak to stop his great hands snapping their necks like...

He laughed, eliciting a few strange looks from his fellow patrons which he stared down with bloodshot eyes, fingers caressing his axe. Only wife a man needed, a steel wife wasn't like to die.

He had sold the remenants of his pitiful herd, his hands were made for killing not milking. He bought a greataxe, solid and plain, heavy as a blackened soul and waited, pissing away his coin until someone needed something made dead.

I was a name once. Killed me a gods cursed troll, gutted Iljnor Thunderlust at the battle of Breyd Fell, only survivor of the siege at Frosthaven. They used to soil their breeches at the sound of my name!

Now what am I? Some old drunk? That failed farmer, old Thori too s!@*ting stupid to keep his herd alive. Not stupid, just uncaring, he gave up the bloody life for love - no stupid was right afterall - and then she died giving birth to a tiny bundle of lifeless blood and bones. Maybe he deserved it, that is what they all thought, damned. Thorgar the Childeater hardly deserved to be happy.

When the serving girl passed near he asked her what there was to eat, of course it was pork. Anything but pork, too many memories, too close, too pale, too weak to stop his great hands snapping their necks like...

He laughed, eliciting a few strange looks from his fellow patrons which he stared down with bloodshot eyes, fingers caressing his axe. Only wife a man needed, a steel wife wasn't like to die.

He had sold the remenants of his pitiful herd, his hands were made for killing not milking. He bought a greataxe, solid and plain, heavy as a blackened soul and waited, pissing away his coin until someone needed something made dead.

I like a lot of what I'm reading here, and there are some details I'm inferring I'd like to ask you about.

It seems like Thorgar used to be a not-so-nice guy and is now perhaps a bit repentant, or at least regretful. Was there and alignment change in his past?

I like the idea of him being a bitter old man. How old? Are you considering going with an advanced enough age for stat modifications? I like the idea of an old warrior perhaps not as fast and tough as he once was but a little smarter and grounded due to the scars, both physical and psychological, of a violent past.

I don't really want to mess with age categories, but I figure he is older than his years, say 31 - which I figure is almost old man in a brutal culture. In my mind he was higher level and his skills have atrophied during six years as a farmer.

He was a hard callous man, but certainly not evil, though he would probably tell you otherwise. Then he was involved in a terrible siege where hunger drove him nearly mad and he ended up having to do some terrible things to stay alive. After this he met a woman who took care of him and quieted his night terrors, married her and used his spoils to buy a herd of shaggy horned cows and a house.

He wanted to be a better man, but has concluded that he is made for bloody work and decided to embrace the fact. If you are meant to be a killer you might as well be the best killer, maybe find one of them cursed wyrms one day and rip its teeth out for a crown hey?

Practically he will probably talk dark, but act light. I'm tempted to call him chaotic neutral, but I think for out and out actions he will be more chaotic good.

I needed to make sure you liked it first, Let me get the full to you now.

Dorian: The Backstory:

Dorian was once a normal Half-Elf. His mother was human while his father was an Elf. Both wanted a simple and quiet life in Qadira. Dorain's mother used to live in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, but moved to Qadira because a witch supposedly cursed her and it was far enough away for no one to hear of it. There she met an Elf by the name of Dengal, who was also getting away from some sticky buisness. They eventually wed, and bore Dorian barely a year later.

Dorian's younger life wasn't that interesting. He made a few enemies with the kids next door, and friends from the kids across the street. They would play games like tag and hide and go seek, but Dorian never really got into fighting all that much. The first time he did fight, though, he lost pretty badly. His face was bruised pretty badly, and his nose was bloody for the next few days. The first morning after the fight, though, he woke up to 5 new and strange faces. He tried to tell other people that they were there, but no one else could see them. He found it intreging that, with the help from one of the woman spirits, he could heal his face. He also found it interesting that the physical attributes of some of the spirits were manifesting in himself. He can now preform incredible acrobatic maneuvers that he couldn't do before the fight.

The spirits talk a lot, and only Dorian can see and hear them. They explain to him that Sarenrae has gifted him with the ghosts of 5 great adventurers, and that they will guide him to strength. They urge him to travel north, farther north than he has ever imagined. Eventually, the arguing with the spirits got to the other towns people, and they eventually threw him out of the town until he can control those spirits. With no place to go, Dorian decided that it would be best to follow the intrests of the Spirits, and started heading north. He spent the last three birthdays out in the world, making it all the way to his 17th birthday. He eventually made it up to the Land of the Linorm Kings, to a small border town not even recognized on the map.

He was walking by, trying to keep his wits while Loke, the thief, and Gwendal, the warrior, were discussing which was more important: The length of the sword or the width of the sword, when Dorian glanced over to see a priest of some sort posting something on a messageboard. As soon as he read reward 500 Gold each, his tummy rumbled, and he had forgotten when it was last he ate. With that, he fetched the last few gold pieces in his pocket and entered the Tavern.

For the first concept, how do you feel about a strix? I have had my eye on one for a while and am looking to make a very detailed backstory for why I would be one. I am looking at a rogue or a ranger in this concept.

I was wondering, GMV, if you would be interested in taking the Wing Clipped alternate racial feature? It would mitigate the issues that can come up with significant flight capabilities at low levels and also help build in a reason to have left Strix society. You can also take a feat later that restores your full flight capabilities while you retain the skill bonuses from taking the reduced flight earlier.

Not trying to tell you what to play, and I haven't seen your back story yet, but it was just something that had occurred to me.

Can you give at least a general overview that campaign might take? I would greatly affect the kind of character I would submit if it is to be mostly an underground journey against drow as opposed to a march into Irrisen against a witch queen.

So I've been working on my backstory, which ties in with Tirq's backstory.

Tirq wrote:

Orannis: Is that alright with you? I can change it to suit whatever you want.

Connected pasts between characters is great, and I encourage it.

However, it will be a few days before I decide who is in and who is not and I would encourage any background connections between characters to be non-vital to their background as a whole as one of them may be accepted and the other not.

Can you give at least a general overview that campaign might take? I would greatly affect the kind of character I would submit if it is to be mostly an underground journey against drow as opposed to a march into Irrisen against a witch queen.

Err, well, the adventure as planned is not going to be *either* of those things. It's an exploration of a mysterious adamantine cave near Irrisen's border with The Land of the Linnorm Kings. Interactions with the Witch Queen's forces, if they occur at all, should be minimal as the whole idea of the venture is to explore and excavate the cave undetected. I have zero plans to involve the Drow, other than PCs interested in selecting that for their race.

The adventure *is* a dungeon delve, and should take you to about level 3. I have options for moving into a larger campaign after that, but if we do go into that part of the point is that it will be something you're not particularly prepared for.

I'm very interested! I have a character I've been working on that would fit your setting in perfectly. I'll get on a detailed background write up and sort out the crunch in a bit.

Quickly though, the concept is an ulfen neophyte monk (playing with the idea of an aasimar of ulfen descent). He's from a reclusive monastic order located somewhere in the Kodar mountains. It's a philsophical order that has it's roots in Cyrusian, of ancient Thassilon fame. Think of the Shaolin (if you know anything of their origins and outlook) with nordic/ulfen trappings.

The order was founded by an angel that had been bound to the service of the Runelord of Pride. After the cataclysm, the angel's bonds held it earthbound for hundreds of years in some Thassilonian ruins. A small settlement grew up around the location, eventually the order sprung into existence using the instructions provided by the angel. It had alot to teach those seeking enlightenment. The angel used the symbol of it's captors, the sihedron, as a symbol to instuct them. It was called the Seven-fold Path.

Currently, the order is known to the local populace( though almost unheard of in larger circles). The order is mostly shrouded in myth and misunderstanding, and has minimal contact with it's neighbors.

Haaken, the PC, has been raised in this monastery pursuing his studies and undergoing the intense physical regime required by them. His reason for becoming involved in the adventure can be modified however we like, from something as rote as a chance encounter while traveling through the region, to being giving a directive by the abbot after a vision.

As I said this is just a quick rundown. If it's piqued any interest, I'll polish it up. I have already been shaping the idea, and was looking/waiting for a RotRL game to try it out on, but I'm really intrigued by your "Beneath the Snow" idea, and think it could work out well.

Fernis Stoutanvil is a bit of an oddity in the northern lands. A human raised by a dwarves after witches from the east destroyed his village and his family in the process. Not that the dwarves intended on taking on the youth. But, the bitterness between clans often runs deep in a place of few resources and many grudges related to them. Unable to find a family willing to take in young Fenris, either out of spite or fear of reprisal should the witches of Irrisien find they harbored the boy, the traders instead sought to give the lad a chance at vengence.
Raised with the priest of Torag, the boy grew into a man of imposing stature and skill. Much like the dwarves whom had become his kin, Fernis learned to face down magic. On the morning of the 10th anniversary of his family's slaughter, Odem Firebeard, the boy's surrogate father and mentor, came to Fernis and retold him the story of how they found him and why he had been trained to hunt the witch. Handing the man that now stood before him the hammer and shield they found with his birth father's body, Odem bid him to take revenge upon those who had taken somuch from him. With fire in his heart and vengeance in soul the man stepped out on to tundra hammer in hand eyeing the east. A thin smile cracked his lips as the scent magic rolledin on the breeze. Soon the scent of blood would be mixed with that arcane stench, soon.

Need to work out a couple of things, but I think that I am going to try and work in some the humans raised by...traits to see that works out. On a story driven campaign your options are a little more open.

Melima grew up in the slums of Katheer. Her adoptive human parents where into everything shady you could imagine. At one point her father ran a gambling ring and her mother did business with the underworld of Katheer. Since her parents where never really around, Melima had an imaginary friend named, Hector. Hector was her confidant and companion to help easy the lack of her parents. He taught her thinks like how to read and write, so she would be able to hopefully get out of the slums and make a life for herself.

Around the age of 17 her parents where killed in a raid by the corwn. While packing up her things and cleaning out the house, she found a note atttached to black leather bound book. The note stated that Melima was the cild of a Katheer noble by the name of Roslynn Delicroix and had been give up as she was not pure. The book attached to the note was filled with magical words. Melima did not know what to think of the note or the book. So she took both to the Delicroix house on the outskirts of town to find out if the note was indeed correct.

After showing the doorman the book and the note, Melima was granted an auidiance with Sir Delicroix. He confirmed that Melima was Roslynn's child and the man Roslynn had been madly in love with was an elf named Dengal. However shortly after giving birth to Melima, Roslynn died. Sir Delicroix never forgave Dengal and has vowed to find and kill him. Sir Delicroix offered Melima a place to stay and anything else she needed as he had seen the error in his ways.

Melima thanked him and only requested the means to go and study the contents of the black leather bound book that had been left to her by her mother, Roslynn. Sir Delicroix oblidged and sent to the best school Katheer had to offer.

Now Hector was still a very active part in Melima's life. He was with her every moment of every day. One night while reading the book her mother had left her, Hector suddenly appeared in the room. Oh he was always there to Melima, but now he what physically there, she could see him and touch him. This excited Melima as she could actually touch Hector.

Hector is a handsome man. He is 6'4 and weighs about 215lbs and is sheer muscle. He is looks like a half-elf and is dressed in black breeches and a dark blue shirt. His leather armor is blue trimmed in yellow and he carrys a heavy mace. The armor and weapon are gifts from Melima in preperation for their journey to find Dengal.

After spending three years studying the book Melima left the school and began to travel the world searching for Dengal, her birth father. In the last yearher travels have take her to the far north. So far she has had very little luck finding the elf.

One day as she was walking through a small Ulfen villiage she saw a priest post a notice and was intrigued by this. So Melima went over to the local tavern to investigate. In the back of her mind she wondered if this notice might produce a lead on finding her elven father.

Sorry Vonzara, but I have to point out that eidolons cannot wear armor.

Quote:

Armor Bonus

The number noted here is the eidolon’s base total armor bonus. This bonus may be split between an armor bonus and a natural armor bonus, as decided by the summoner. This number is modified by the eidolon’s base form and some options available through its evolution pool. An eidolon cannot wear armor of any kind, as the armor interferes with the summoner’s connection to the eidolon.

You could take the Improved Natural Armor evolution to get 2 back, shields can also work, though I question their value.

It also look like you are saying your eidolon can make a weapon attack and a slam attack in the same round using the same pair of arms? You need both arms for slam that is why it gets strength and a half like a two handed weapon, also why you don't get two slams if you don't wield a weapon.

Sorry Vonzara, but I have to point out that eidolons cannot wear armor.

Quote:

Armor Bonus

The number noted here is the eidolon’s base total armor bonus. This bonus may be split between an armor bonus and a natural armor bonus, as decided by the summoner. This number is modified by the eidolon’s base form and some options available through its evolution pool. An eidolon cannot wear armor of any kind, as the armor interferes with the summoner’s connection to the eidolon.

You could take the Improved Natural Armor evolution to get 2 back, shields can also work, though I question their value.

It also look like you are saying your eidolon can make a weapon attack and a slam attack in the same round using the same pair of arms? You need both arms for slam that is why it gets strength and a half like a two handed weapon, also why you don't get two slams if you don't wield a weapon.

i'll go tweek the eidolon. I have an idea of what he looks like and functions, its just getting the darn thing build to encompass that vision.

Ok I have made changes to the back story and eidolon.
I have put 2 points of evolution into simple weapons and 1 pt went into slam. I took the feat improved natural armor.
Also, Dengal is the tie between Tirq and I's characters.

Melima grew up in the slums of Katheer. Her adoptive human parents where into everything shady you could imagine. At one point her father ran a gambling ring and her mother did business with the underworld of Katheer. Since her parents where never really around, Melima had an imaginary friend named, Hector. Hector was her confidant and companion to help easy the lack of her parents. He taught her thinks like how to read and write, so she would hopefully be able to get out of the slums and make a life for herself.

Around the age of 17 her parents where killed in a raid by the corwn. While packing up her things and cleaning out the house, she found a note atttached to black leather bound book. The note stated that Melima was the child of a Katheer noble by the name of Roslynn Delicroix and had been give up as she was not pure. The book attached to the note was filled with magical words. Melima did not know what to think of the note or the book. So she took both to the Delicroix house on the outskirts of town to find out if the note was indeed correct.

After showing the doorman the book and the note, Melima was granted an auidiance with Sir Delicroix. He confirmed that Melima was Roslynn's child and the man Roslynn had been madly in love with was an elf named Dengal. However shortly after giving birth to Melima, Roslynn died. Sir Delicroix never forgave Dengal and has vowed to find and kill him. Sir Delicroix offered Melima a place to stay and anything else she needed as he had seen the error in his ways.

Melima thanked him and only requested the means to go and study the contents of the black leather bound book that had been left to her by her mother, Roslynn. Sir Delicroix oblidged and sent to the best school Katheer had to offer.

Now Hector was still a very active part in Melima's life. He was with her every moment of every day. One night while reading the book her mother had left her, Hector suddenly appeared in the room. Oh he was always there to Melima, but now he what physically there, she could see him and touch him. This excited Melima as she could actually touch Hector.

Hector is a handsome man. He is 6'4 and weighs about 215lbs and is sheer muscle. He is looks like a half-elf and is dressed in black breeches and a dark blue shirt. His natural armor has the apperance of leather armor and is blue trimmed in yellow. In preperation for their journey to find Dengal, Melima gives Hector a crossbow.

After spending three years studying the book Melima left the school and began to travel the world searching for Dengal, her birth father. In the last year her travels have take her to the far north. So far she has had very little luck finding the elf.

One day as she was walking through a small Ulfen villiage she saw a priest post a notice and was intrigued by this. So Melima went over to the local tavern to investigate. In the back of her mind she wondered if this notice might produce a lead on finding her elven father.

I plan on having several conversations all in one post. Thus the reason of having two different aliases, one for me and one for the ghosts. I can almost guarentee that if I play, there won't be a dull moment.